Steady Your Nerves

“What such a man needs is not courage but nerve control, cool-headedness. This he can get only by practice.” — Theodore Roosevelt

When our goals are high, pressure and stress come along. Unpleasant situations are almost guaranteed. In such a case, talent is not the attitude that could help. Grace and poise are more desirable because they give the opportunity to deploy other skills.

Two opposite reactions can help you calm your nerves. First, defiance like: “It is not about me. I do not want to be involved in that situation”. The second - acceptance - “OK, it is my problem and I have to go step by step to resolve the problem”. What we have to remember is that there is always a countermove, an escape, or a way through.

Stress leads us to baser-fearful-instinctual reactions. By holding our nerve, we can do our best. We can prepare ourselves for the reality.